Special Sessions and Events at the 2018 Conference

Endowment Auction to Support Student Travel Grants

Drop off your items to be auctioned any time at the PSA registration area. Auction bidding will close Friday, 3/30, 12 noon; winning bidders can pay for and pick up their items from then until 12 noon Saturday, 3/31.

A Message from President Amy J. Orr & Program Chair Amy Leisenring

The 89th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association is quickly approaching! We look forward to many things in March: seeing old and new faces; a program filled with a wide range of research sessions in the standard topical areas; a great set of undergraduate roundtable and poster sessions; a number of fantastic workshops, plenaries, and invited panels; some tours focused on the Long Beach area… and much more.

Of course, we especially look forward to an incredible range of sessions related to our theme, “Teaching Sociology: Innovations, Changes, and Challenges.” The list below contains just a sampling of sessions on teaching sociology and related topics; please see the final program for many others that are scheduled across a number of different topic areas!

Broad Challenges

Wednesday • 1:45 PM–3:15 PM Teaching and Learning in a Climate of Oppression and Surveillance, Sponsored by the Committee on Civil Rights & Civil Liberties

This session, organized by Desire Anastasia of Metropolitan State University of Denver, features the following presentations submitted through the open call for papers:

Panopticon and Data Brokers: Evolution of Control (Ralph Pioquinto, California State University Los Angeles)

Diversity and Inclusion Development at Cal State, East Bay (Duke Austin, California State University East Bay; Deepika Mathur, California State University, East Bay)

Perceptions of Women`s Academic Leadership, Challenges and Opportunities for Change at a Predominantly Hispanic Serving Institution (Kara Dellacioppa, California State University Dominguez Hills; Anthony Normore, California State University Dominguez Hills)

Thursday • 12:00 PM–1:30 PMThe New Era of Campus Politics: Struggles over Ideology and Identity in Four Battleground States

American university campuses are both the subject of, and home to, political contentiousness not seen since the 1960s. Both now and 50 years ago, students have been key mobilizing agents, staging protests and other events to advocate their political perspectives. Despite the commonalities, the current period is marked by additional forces. First, the Trump presidency has created opportunities for previously illegitimate political actors, such as white nationalists, to use university campuses as beachheads for their movement. Second, as recent polls have shown, student unrest is paired with a growing, overall public mistrust in the mission of higher education, as evidenced by critique on issues ranging from free speech to college debt. Third, large national organizations–thus far, particularly on the right–have underwritten student activism on campus in an unprecedented fashion. Expanding on themes each of us has developed in prior research on conservative activism, in this project, we study student activism across the political spectrum during academic year 2017-2018. Our research design is to focus on public flagship campuses in four battleground states–Arizona, Colorado, Virginia, and North Carolina–with a particular eye to how national organizations, university resources, and student groups intersect in the production of campus politics. In this session, we will present findings from two of our case study campuses.

Are you an educator interested in adding media literacy to your courses? Are you a student who wants to study media, propaganda, and censorship? Are you a media consumer concerned about fake news? For over 40 years, Project Censored has been monitoring the state of our free press while exposing corporate media and government censorship and propaganda. The Project produces an annual book (published by Seven Stories Press in New York) that lauds intrepid independent journalists and promotes critical media literacy education. In their latest work, they discuss the importance of press freedoms and public education in a “post-truth” world of so-called alternative facts and fake news. The Project highlights the work of reporters who write about crucial issues for independent/alternative publications year around and remind the public why we need fearless investigative journalists now more than ever. Project Censored continues to critique the increase of Junk Food News and News Abuse (propaganda) in our infotainment culture, and through their college affiliate programs, they strongly promote critical media literacy education as the real antidote to our fake news culture– not big tech algorithms, blacklists, or censorship. Join the conversation in this informative presentation and workshop and learn more about what you can do help fight fake news and support a truly independent and free press both inside the classroom and out in the public sphere.

Session Organizer: Amy J. Orr, Linfield College

Facilitators: Mickey Huff and Andy Lee Roth, Project Censored

Teaching Sociology

Wednesday • 8:00AM–5:00 PM AKD Workshop on Teaching and Learning

Are you looking for ways to increase student learning without exhausting yourself in the process? Join colleagues interested in teaching pedagogy, practical application, and the scholarship of teaching and learning from a variety of academic settings in a workshop designed to expose the inner workings of course design, student engagement, meaningful learning, and effective assessment. Participants will craft a unique workshop experience from a selection of roundtable discussions best suited to their individual interests and needs. Time will be allocated for networking with colleagues interested in sharing ideas, gaining support, and building collaboration, so participants are encouraged to bring business cards to share.

Wednesday • 3:30 PM–5:00 PM The Times They Are A-Changin`: Experiential Learning and Undergraduate Sociology

Experiential learning (EL) asserts “experience matters,” in combination with “perception, cognition, and behavior” (Kolb, 1984; Dewey 1938). However, not all educational experiences are equal and, without reflection upon the experience and new knowledge, such experiences may prove to be mis-educative (Dewey, 1938). EL instructors provide undergraduate students with experience, reflection, and application, thereby instilling lessons and tools for future professional and community practice. In this regard, EL appears to generate higher levels of learning than more passive forms of learning experiences commonly employed in higher education, especially when EL activates “recurring cycles” (Bloom, 1956; Kolb, 1984), as opposed to a “one and done” event.

Teaching, as Gary Alan Fine reminds us, is like ethnographic fieldwork, in that it is always “dirty work.” As a result, we must ask how does this dirty work get done inside and outside the classroom? In attempting to answer this question, this panel brings together a diverse group of ethnographers to discuss the multiple ways we engage in “teaching ethnography.” Four dominant themes will animate our discussion: teaching ethnography as scholarship in the classroom, teaching ethnography as craft/academic labor, teaching ethnography as a theory and method, and teaching ethnography as public engagement and as profession.

Session Organizer: Black Hawk Hancock, DePaul University

Invited Panelists: Andrew Deener, University of Connecticut; Susan Mannon, University of the Pacific; Daniel Morrison, Vanderbilt University; Melanie Gast, University of Louisville

Thursday • 8:30 AM–10:00 AM Teaching as Social Justice, Social Justice as Teaching

Presentations in this session, which was organized by Program Committee member Susan Murray of San Jose State University, were submitted through the open call for papers. They include:

Teaching Social Welfare Policy through a Comparative Analysis (Nina Michalikova, University of Central Oklahoma)

Open Education is a social movement that has addressed the rising costs of Higher Education by offering free or low cost textbooks to faculty and students. This workshop will give an overview of the Open Education movement, honestly discuss the strengths and weaknesses that this approach has experienced and make a plan to ensure that this movement maintains academic rigor for our field.

Thursday • 3:30 PM–5:00 PM Teaching Sociology at Community College: Innovations, Changes, and Challenges I, Sponsored by the Committee on Community Colleges

Organized by Jackie Logg of Cabrillo College, this is the first of two sessions that address issues related to teaching sociology at community colleges. The presentations, which were submitted through the open call for papers, include:

Teaching Social Problems at a Community College: Incorporating Local Social Problems (Matthew Gougherty, Yakima Valley College)

This session is about how to use media effectively to teach about difficult topics. A variety of film/ video clips will be shown to provide faculty sources for their own classroom use. The subject matter of the media will be discussed along with the various courses and theoretical concepts for which showing them would be appropriate. All resources will be shared with participants. This session will also focus on how to facilitate discussions about content that is controversial and that may challenge students` perceptions of the world.

A diverse panel of sociology faculty including veteran faculty, community college faculty, online and adjunct faculty who identify as being from a variety of groups traditionally marginalized due to race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion discuss their experiences teaching about privilege in their classes. They will share personal anecdotes as well as techniques and best practices for teaching about privilege, and also allow time for an in-depth discussion and Q&A during the panel session. You are invited to come and share your experiences as we learn from each other.

Presenters will have around 10- 15 minutes to discuss/present an idea or technique or assignment, etc. that has worked for them in the classroom. Any area or subject in sociology is welcomed. The purpose of the session is to have members of the audience leave with something they can use to improve learning and teaching; that is they will leave with a gift from the presenters.

This session dovetails on the theme of the PSA 89th annual meetings: “Teaching Sociology: Innovations, Changes, and Challenges.” Panelists will address pedagogical evolution over time; effective strategies and techniques for teaching sociology; teachable moments; and reflections and hindsight on teaching. The session will conclude with Q and A between panelists, followed by audience Q and A.

Research into Action: Raising the Racial Literacy of White-Identified Faculty (Susan Murray, San Jose State University)

Saturday • 12:00 PM–1:30 PM Teaching Sociology at Community College: Innovations, Changes, and Challenges II, Sponsored by the Committee on Community Colleges

Organized by Dan Poole of Salt Lake Community College, this is the second of two sessions that address issues related to teaching sociology at community colleges. Presentations, which were submitted through the open call for papers, include:

This session is a professional workshop lead by members of the American Sociological Association’s Department Resources Group, a part of the Academic and Professional Affairs Program of the ASA. DRG consultants are highly-trained individuals who are familiar with the latest developments in sociology curriculum, national standards and best practices including the 2017 ASA document The Sociology Major in the Changing Landscape of Higher Education: Curriculum, Careers and Online Learning (Pike et. al.). This workshop will help departments prepare for an upcoming program review.

The Sociology Program at CSU Channel Islands is completing an extensive multi-year process to redesign its curriculum, guided by best practices and principles (primarily from the ASA “liberal learning” documents, but drawing on a range of sources from inside and outside the discipline). We will present a number of key components of our work in an attempt to distill the lessons that we have learned along the way — as well as to identify specific priorities (and how they were reached) and specific challenges (in terms of content, and in terms of buy-in) that have been addressed along the way. We believe that our experiences are timely, given the recent release of the newest ASA Liberal Learning document (LL3) which will encourage programs to update their curricula for the 21st century challenges that our students confront. We will leave plenty of time for Q&A from audience members who may be considering their own curricular revisions.

Thursday • 10:15 AM–11:45 AM A Conversation about the Master’s Degree in Sociology

This workshop will provide an extended and fully participatory conversation about the MA in sociology. Using the classic SWOT analysis frame work, workshop participants will be guided through a discussion of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for MA programs in today`s higher ed context. Particular focus will be given to identifying practical and positive short term, medium term, and long term responses to each element of the analysis.

Friday • 1:45 PM–3:15 PM The Sociology Major in the Changing Landscape of Higher Education

This workshop builds on the American Sociological Association`s work in building undergraduate curriculum and connecting this to changing practices in higher education, including online education as well as career outcomes for the sociology major. We will discuss recommended practices for sustaining high quality and comprehensive sociology programs for undergraduates, best practices in development of curriculum, and how the sociology major is situated within the broader scope of higher education.

Saturday • 10:15 AM–11:45 AM Building Pathways for Student Success: Lessons from a Regional Partnership between 2-year and 4-year Institutions

The panel represents the primary partners in a Regional Sociology Council, sponsored through a grant to increase the transfer pipeline from 2-year institutions to the public regional 4-year university, and to increase student success once they have made the transfer. The panel includes faculty from both types of institutions, and will discuss lessons from our ongoing partnership to find specific initiatives that we can undertake to promote student transfer and success — including faculty and student exchanges across institutions, and curricular redesign and alignment. The panel will focus on our particular experiences, but will be designed to inform other potential partnerships between 2-year and 4-year institutions, as a crucial linkage in contemporary higher education.

Do you want to learn how to contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning within the discipline of sociology? Are you presenting the results of an innovative pedagogical strategy at this year`s meeting? This interactive workshop, led by editorial leaders representing the Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology (TRAILS) and the journal Teaching Sociology (TS), will provide information on publication outlets for your work. Workshop participants will discuss the differences in submissions to TRAILS and TS, as well as ways that the two resources are creating bridges. Discussions will illuminate expectations for research articles, research notes, conversation submissions, and book/video reviews in TS, and provide opportunities for attendees to craft a submission outline. The structure and content of TRAILS submissions will be presented. Various assessment strategies will be considered, as well as formulation of measurable learning goals. Strategies of strengthening submissions will be examined. Additionally, under-examined areas of inquiry will be identified, along with guidance on ways to formulate projects to fit into unexplored domains. This workshop will be especially useful for meeting attendees who are presenting original work on pedagogy and curriculum design at the annual meeting.

Organized by Amanda M. Shigihara of SUNY College at Old Westbury, this session features the following presentations submitted through the open call for papers:

Starting a URM Mentoring Program for Undergraduate Sociology Majors at a PWI in the Inland Northwest: Experiences of First Generation Latinx Graduate Students (Gina Castillo, Washington State University; Marisa Cervantes, Washington State University)

“I`m Not Supposed to Be Here.”: Mentoring First Generation Undergraduate and Graduate Students in the Cal State University System (Mary Robertson, California State University San Marcos)

“What is Your Research Question?” Motivating and Guiding Masters Students in an Applied Research Setting (Andrew Prelog, University of Northern Colorado)

Mentoring Students To and Through Publication (Amy Wilkins, University of Colorado, Boulder)

Cultivating Students` Academic Skills and Career Opportunities with the Sociology/Criminology Club (Amanda M. Shigihara, SUNY College at Old Westbury)

Thursday • 3:30 PM–5:00 PM How Can New Graduates Market Sociology as a Skill Set, Sponsored by Committee on Practice, Applied, and Clinical Sociology

This invited session, organized by Robert E. Kettlitz of Hastings College, includes the following presentations:

The session will focus on the great opportunities that are available to AKD chapters and members, and will also provide an occasion to share ideas with, and ask questions of, other chapter representatives in the region (for example, what works? What does not? How do you…?).

The objective of this workshop is to provide guidance for undergraduate and graduate students seeking to further their academic studies or gain employment. Our focus will be building a vita from the ground up. We will begin by differentiating resumés and vitas, basic formatting, what to include, and how to best highlight strengths without adding padding. We will follow with tailoring CVs to different career and academic goals. Finally, students will have an opportunity to participate in an interactive CV review with faculty members on the panel.

Invited Panelists: Danielle Duckett, California State University Sacramento; Meggan Jordan, California State University Stanislaus; Jennifer Whitmer, California State University Stanislaus; Sneha Dutta, California State University Stanislaus

Friday • 10:15 AM–11:45 AM Fostering Future Graduate Students in Community Colleges, Sponsored by the Committee on Community Colleges

Organized by Rebecca Romo of Santa Monica College and James McKeever of Los Angeles Pierce College, this session features the following presentations submitted through the open call for papers:

Creating an Academic Pipeline from the Community College to Graduate School (Rebecca Romo, Santa Monica College)

If You Really Want to Diversify the “Ivory Tower” You Need Community College Students! (James McKeever, Los Angeles Pierce College)

Formerly Incarcerated Students in Academia: Examining the Inclusion of Community Colleges Students as a Method of Creating a Culture of Continued Higher Education and Graduate Studies in Formerly Incarcerated Students (Kevin Gonzalez, California State University Los Angeles)

Disrupting the Status Quo: Equitizing Education through Pathways for Students (Pamela Williams-Paez, College of the Canyons)

This panel will focus on the experiences of Latinx faculty in the classroom and as professional academics. The presenters will cover a range of topics that relate to faculty who teach in community colleges and at the university level, including working with a diverse student body, cultural taxation, mentorship, and the demands of contingent labor.

Session Organizer: Michael Chavez, California State University Long Beach

The purpose of this session is to help prepare graduate students, many of whom attend R1 programs, for jobs and positions at teaching-oriented schools. This session was sparked by the idea that many graduate students who plan to apply to teaching-oriented schools are not exposed to them, and thus may not fully understand how these smaller schools may differ from R1 schools. Topics of this session may include how to prepare job application materials, the ways in which the work environment differs, the expectations placed on faculty in teaching-oriented schools, and other insights useful for students who are interested in pursuing teaching-oriented schools after graduate school.

Friday • 12:00 PM–1:30 PM Be The Change You Wish To See In The World: Teaching Careers At The Community College Level, Sponsored by Committee on Community Colleges

This panel will address the opportunities and rewards (as well as the challenges) presented by teaching at the community college level. Panelists ranging from beginning to veteran instructors, who represent colleges in several different states, will share their experiences and have an in-depth Q&A regarding community college teaching as an academic career option.

Friday • 3:30 PM–5:00 PM And Now For Something Completely Different: How to Get a Job at a Community College, Sponsored by Committee on Community Colleges

Getting a job at a community college is very different from landing employment at a four year institution. This panel will examine the process of job acquisition at the community college level in four states (California, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona) and provide attendees with a number of hints and tips to assist in the job search and interview processes.

10:15-11:45 amTeaching Introduction to Sociology: Best Practices to Construct the Sociological Imagination, sponsored by the Committee on Teaching

All My Friends Are Stressed: Mental Health, Social Support, and Self-Care in Graduate School, Sponsored by Student Affairs Committee

Gendered Resistance to the Socio-political Landscape, Sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women

Place Matters: Health Equity and Environmental Justice in Long Beach, Sponsored by Committee on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities (Followed by Toxic Tour—see Local Tours section for more information)

1:45-3:15 pmBest Practices in Building Memorable and Meaningful Learning Experiences in “Introduction to Sociology”, sponsored by the Committee on Teaching

Student Scholar Activism in the Wake of Trump, Sponsored by Student Affairs Committee

3:30-5:00 pmTeaching Sociology at Community College: Innovations, Changes, and Challenges I, sponsored by the Committee on Community Colleges

Publishing Scholarship on Teaching and Learning: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology (TRAILS) and Teaching Sociology , Sponsored by Committee on Teaching

How Can New Graduates Market Sociology as a Skill Set, Sponsored by Committee on Practicing, Applied, and Clinical Sociology

5:15-6:45 pmBaby, You are My Religion: Women, Gay Bars, and Theology Before Stonewall (Gender, Theology and Spirituality) with Author Marie Cartier, Sponsored by the Committee on the Status of LGBTQ Persons

How to Get Your Article Published, sponsored by the Publications Committee

5:15-6:45 pmTeaching During Tough Times: Using Videos in the Classroom

Friday, March 30

3:30-5:00 pm Becoming Johanna (2016)

Sessions for Specific Groups

Wednesday, March 28

3:30-5:00 pmSister to Sister: A Talking Circle with and for Black Women

Thursday, March 29

5:00-6:00 pmSociologists for Women in Society Happy Hour (no host bar) at The Sky Room, 40 South Locust, a 5 minute walk from the conference hotel. Networking event hosted by the SWS West Chapter. We welcome current, lapsed and returning, and those interested in finding out more about joining SWS. This event supports the SWS commitment to “Transforming the academy through feminist leadership, career development and institutional diversity.” SWS is also committed to social justice and feminist scholarship: SWS publishes a leading journal Gender and Society. See socwomen.org. Appetizers provided. Raffle of free memberships for new members. Cash bar. Limited space: RSVP to Mary.Virnoche@humboldt.edu